The shells were originally embedded in the frame for the artist's painting of The Virgin handing a stole toSaint Dominic in the Sacristy of the Church of Santo Domingo, Bogotá, Colombia. At some point, the shells were removed and sold to the Manuel Benito de Castro Collection, Bogotá, Colombia. Then they passed on to the Baron Goury de Roslan Collection, Paris, France and, from there, through his successor, to the Alberto Pizano Collection, Bogotá, Colombia.